OTTAWA —
A member of Ontario’s COVID-19 Science Advisory Table warns Ottawa will consistently see more days with triple-digit increases in COVID-19 cases in the next week or so as COVID-19 transmission continues to rise in the community.
And senior scientist at the Ottawa Hospital Dr. Doug Manuel suggests the Red-Control zone restrictions are “not going to hold” the transmission rates in Ottawa.
Ottawa moved into the Red-Control level of Ontario’s COVID-19 reopening framework on Friday, following a spike in COVID-19 cases.
Ottawa’s COVID-19 incidence rate increased from 33.8 cases per 100,000 on Feb. 28 to 50 cases on March 19.
“I think we’re at an interesting period. In Ottawa, we’re doing a bit better than other places that have been increasing more quickly,” said Dr. Manuel during an interview on CTV News at Six with anchor Stefan Keyes.
“In Ottawa, in the short-term we’re looking at increasing cases; we’ll probably be in the triple digits more consistently in a week or so, deaths are predicted to go down and hospitalizations over the short-term are going to stay flat.”
Ottawa Public Health reported 107 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday and 86 new cases on Sunday. The 107 new cases of novel coronavirus in Ottawa on Saturday was the highest one-day increase since Jan. 21.
“So, the question after that is what’s going to influence it?” said Dr. Manuel about the COVID-19 transmission in the community.
“We’ve got the two big factors: the variants of concern is going to increase cases for a while and then we have the vaccine, which is going to help the hospitalizations and deaths.”
Ottawa is in the Red-Control zone after spending one month in the Orange-Restrict level.
“Currently, the cases would likely go up with the level of restrictions that we’ve got,” said Dr. Manuel, when asked if Ottawa needs to go into lockdown to control the spread of virus.
Manuel notes there is no set criteria for the province to move a region into the Gray-Lockdown level, which looks at increasing weekly case incidence and/or test positivity and outbreaks among vulnerable populations.
“We’re definitely not going back to orange for a while.”
LOCKDOWN NEEDED IN OTTAWA?
Speaking on Newstalk 580 CFRA Sunday morning with host Andrew Pinsent, Dr. Manuel said the likelihood of Ottawa moving into Gray-Lockdown is “pretty high.”
“It’s going up. I think the question is now moving into red zone, are we going to flatten that out?” said Dr. Manuel about COVID-19 transmission in Ottawa.
Dr. Manuel says while Ottawa’s COVID-19 rates have been increasing slower than other areas of Ontario, transmission could rise due to the variants of concern and the level of restrictions.
“I’m concerned that red is not going to hold us, especially with the new variants and that we’re going to continue to increase,” said Dr. Manuel.
“When we get into these sorts of triple digits (daily case increases), public health has a hard time keeping up with all the cases, so there starts to be a lag time in their contact tracing.”
Dr. Manuel says looking at the recent changes to restaurant capacity in the Red-Control zone, he is concerned the measures won’t “hold” the COVID-19 rates in Ottawa. Ontario’s new restrictions for bars and restaurants in the Red-Control zone is 50 per cent capacity of an establishment, up to a maximum of 50 people.
Pinsent asked if he anticipates a move into lockdown.
“I would say the likelihood is pretty high, or it’s definitely on my radar. When? I think we’re going to see how much the red is going to hold us, or we’re just going to blow right through it,” said Manuel.
“I don’t think it’s going to hold us. I think we’re probably going to continue on the same rate, if not higher. The math would say that we’re going to accelerate with the variants and just having more people and losing our ability to control.”
Dr. Manuel notes the variants of concern create a “different ballgame” with COVID-19 than in the fall.
Approximately 50 per cent of all new cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa involve a variant of concern.
Dr. Manuel says there are two factors pushing back against COVID-19 and the variants of concern this spring; more people gathering outside in the warm weather and we’re getting vaccinated with the COVID-19 doses.
TORONTO – Canada Goose Holdings Inc. says it has signed a deal that will result in the creation of its first eyewear collection.
The deal announced on Thursday by the Toronto-based luxury apparel company comes in the form of an exclusive, long-term global licensing agreement with Marchon Eyewear Inc.
The terms and value of the agreement were not disclosed, but Marchon produces eyewear for brands including Lacoste, Nike, Calvin Klein, Ferragamo, Longchamp and Zeiss.
Marchon plans to roll out both sunglasses and optical wear under the Canada Goose name next spring, starting in North America.
Canada Goose says the eyewear will be sold through optical retailers, department stores, Canada Goose shops and its website.
Canada Goose CEO Dani Reiss told The Canadian Press in August that he envisioned his company eventually expanding into eyewear and luggage.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
Almost seven years since news broke of an alleged conspiracy to fix the price of packaged bread across Canada, the saga isn’t over: the Competition Bureau continues to investigate the companies that may have been involved, and two class-action lawsuits continue to work their way through the courts.
Here’s a timeline of key events in the bread price-fixing case.
Oct. 31, 2017: The Competition Bureau says it’s investigating allegations of bread price-fixing and that it was granted search warrants in the case. Several grocers confirm they are co-operating in the probe.
Dec. 19, 2017: Loblaw and George Weston say they participated in an “industry-wide price-fixing arrangement” to raise the price of packaged bread. The companies say they have been co-operating in the Competition Bureau’s investigation since March 2015, when they self-reported to the bureau upon discovering anti-competitive behaviour, and are receiving immunity from prosecution. They announce they are offering $25 gift cards to customers amid the ongoing investigation into alleged bread price-fixing.
Jan. 31, 2018: In court documents, the Competition Bureau says at least $1.50 was added to the price of a loaf of bread between about 2001 and 2016.
Dec. 20, 2019: A class-action lawsuit in a Quebec court against multiple grocers and food companies is certified against a number of companies allegedly involved in bread price-fixing, including Loblaw, George Weston, Metro, Sobeys, Walmart Canada, Canada Bread and Giant Tiger (which have all denied involvement, except for Loblaw and George Weston, which later settled with the plaintiffs).
Dec. 31, 2021: A class-action lawsuit in an Ontario court covering all Canadian residents except those in Quebec who bought packaged bread from a company named in the suit is certified against roughly the same group of companies.
June 21, 2023: Bakery giant Canada Bread Co. is fined $50 million after pleading guilty to four counts of price-fixing under the Competition Act as part of the Competition Bureau’s ongoing investigation.
Oct. 25 2023: Canada Bread files a statement of defence in the Ontario class action denying participating in the alleged conspiracy and saying any anti-competitive behaviour it participated in was at the direction and to the benefit of its then-majority owner Maple Leaf Foods, which is not a defendant in the case (neither is its current owner Grupo Bimbo). Maple Leaf calls Canada Bread’s accusations “baseless.”
Dec. 20, 2023: Metro files new documents in the Ontario class action accusing Loblaw and its parent company George Weston of conspiring to implicate it in the alleged scheme, denying involvement. Sobeys has made a similar claim. The two companies deny the allegations.
July 25, 2024: Loblaw and George Weston say they agreed to pay a combined $500 million to settle both the Ontario and Quebec class-action lawsuits. Loblaw’s share of the settlement includes a $96-million credit for the gift cards it gave out years earlier.
Sept. 12, 2024: Canada Bread files new documents in Ontario court as part of the class action, claiming Maple Leaf used it as a “shield” to avoid liability in the alleged scheme. Maple Leaf was a majority shareholder of Canada Bread until 2014, and the company claims it’s liable for any price-fixing activity. Maple Leaf refutes the claims.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
Companies in this story: (TSX:L, TSX:MFI, TSX:MRU, TSX:EMP.A, TSX:WN)
TORONTO – TD Bank Group, which is mired in a money laundering scandal in the U.S., says chief executive Bharat Masrani will retire next year.
Masrani, who will retire officially on April 10, 2025, says the bank’s, “anti-money laundering challenges,” took place on his watch and he takes full responsibility.
The bank named Raymond Chun, TD’s group head, Canadian personal banking, as his successor.
As part of a transition plan, Chun will become chief operating officer on Nov. 1 before taking over the top job when Masrani steps down at the bank’s annual meeting next year.
TD also announced that Riaz Ahmed, group head, wholesale banking and president and CEO of TD Securities, will retire at the end of January 2025.
TD has taken billions in charges related to ongoing U.S. investigations into the failure of its anti-money laundering program.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
